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Death Valley Solo Trip


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I had some stuff free up on my calendar and so I headed out this past Friday to Death Valley.  I'm going back in two weeks for the BDR fundraiser and thought I could do some recon on some of the tracks they have for us.  I usually stay at Panamint Springs but they had the ADV noobs rally there and the last place I want to be is PSR with 270 people camping there at the same time!  I ended up at Emigrant campground which is free and has bathrooms and water but campfires are not allowed.

 

I didn't get a lot of photos but did get some video...

 

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Met some really nice people at the campground. That's what's cool about solo adventure travel is that it gets you out of your bubble.

For the first time ever, I decided to ride as much dirt as possible up to Death Valley and as a result saw a lot of new terrain.

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The pool at Stovepipe Wells

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I forgot to dry my tent out after the last time I used it and it was all mildewed.

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Some food porn of a really great dish I got to share with some folks in camp. I ate at Stovepipe the first night so I wasn't that hungry but it was sure good!

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I probably saw over a hundred ADV bikes roll by on Friday night but on Saturday morning I waited at Stovepipe Wells until after 10:00 am for any to come that way. Two finally did and they said I could join them but they are doing Warm Springs/Mengel/Goler and if already done that in November. I decided to to ride solo.

I rode Chloride Cliffs and then over to Beatty for an early lunch.

I ran into these guys on some sweet bikes. They were super cool and it turns out we know a lot of the same people.

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This 1190R has the new Motoz Tractionator Adventure tires and he says he loves them.

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I like the lights on this 500

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Dash on that 690 Rally Raid

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My route. I stopped it early before I went up to see the charcoal kilns but you get the idea

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I went to bed early last night and woke up early, had my coffee, packed up and headed out.

I went back the same way as the way I came in Friday but I found this road had been totally destroyed by some desert racers. I'm pretty sure the BLM makes them rehab the road afterwards so we'll see. I may call the BLM Barstow office Monday about it because it was quite treacherous for a big bike. Lots of deep whoops and silt holes.

I was running a pretty good pace and saw some dirt bikers ride closer to take a look. It was a long flat section so they had no chance of catching me

Then on the dirt that parallels the 395 I was running nearly the highway speed and got a few honks. Then I saw some Starbucks riders ride past, obviously wishing they'd ridden the dirt like me

109 miles in total to get to the Starbucks in Adelanto.

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Very cool!

Pretty sure that's Mike ( adv molonlabemike) on the 690 and John on the Big'n. We rode together the day before when I took them and 3 others on Hunter Mtn/Paradise valley/teakettle/ Lippencott / saline valley loop. Good times. Saw you at Stovepipe wells restaurant Saturday as we were sitting down. Didn't realize who I saw until you were gone. Next time.

 

Best weather I've had there. So much to see. 

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